Tool for removing well casings and the like



Feb. 13, 1923.. J. F. FULLOP.

TOOL FOR REMOVING WE LL GASINGS AND THE LIKE.

FILED AUG-24,1921.

Patented 1F elm l3, llhm JOSEPH 1F. FULLOEP, 01E CHRISTOPHER, ILLINOIS.

TOOL FOR REMOVING WELL CASING-S AND THE LIKE.

' Application filed August in, 1921. Serial no. iaaoai.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Josnrn 1F. FULLOP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Christopher, in the county of Franklin and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tools for Bemoving Well Casings and the like; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in tools for removing pipe, such for example as casings from drill holes and the like.

It is an object of my present invention to produce a relatively small, compact, and at the same time an easily operated tool, which can be readily positioned within a casing or pipe for withdrawing and salvaglng the same.

Another object of my invention is the pro- .duction of a tool provided with a novel gripping section and an associated device for controlling the movement of the gr pping means and locking same in inoperative position, thereby facilitating the removal of the tool from the casing should for any.

reason it be found impracticable to remove the pipe sections forming the casing.

A further object of the invention is to produce a tool provided with a pipe gripping section detachably associated with a supporting section, both of said sections being hollow and arranged to house the controlling connections for the gripping de- VIBES.

A still further object of my invention is the production of a toolof the class referred to, consisting of a series of detachable and interchangeable sections, arranged and adapted to permit of the control of thegripping device from a source remote from the tool.

Other objects will in part be obvious, reference being had to the specification and the accompanying drawings, in which 1- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved tool showing the gripping devices locked in retracted or inoperative position;

liig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through my tool taken at right angles to Fig. 1, and further illustrating the positions of the gripping devices when associated with a pipe or casing, the latter being conventionally indi-' cated in dotted-lines;

lFig. 3.-is a sectional elevation of one of the detachable sections of the tool used to increase the Weight thereof, the lower or cap end being shown threaded thereon; and

Fig. 4k is a horizontal sectional view on the line H of Fig. 2 showing the gripping devices in elevation and extended. or operative position.

Referring to the drawings, in which simila-r reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views, myimproved tool is formed of complementary sections, termed for. pu oses herein the gripping section 1, and t e top or supporting section 2. The sections are preferably of hollow, cylindrical contour and are detachably joined together by means of the nipple connection 3.

Gripping devices in the form of normally protruding dogs or fingers A are carried by the gripping section I. The gripping dogs are pivotally supported at 5 in recessed or open portions 6' formed in the cylindrical wall of the section 1, and arranged and adapted to be normallyprojected outwardly by means of sprin gripping dogs or suitably provided with a gripping face or edge designed to either bite into the: well casing or engage the lower edge of a section thereof. As shown in the drawings there are two groups of three grip-ping dogs each, the respective groups being staggered so as to insure a uniform gripping action of the casing as will be understood. I believe this to be a satisfactory arrangement of the gripping dogs, although it will be understood that other arrangements can be provided without departing from the spirit of-my invention.

i The springs 7 are secured at 8 to the 1nclined upper faces of the slotted openings or recesses 65, the extending arm.v of the spring bearing against the The tapered end 0 e gripping dog topipe tit)

7. The ends of the ngers are tapered and {gripping dogs as shown.

gether with the positioning of the spring j serves to permit the withdrawal of the gripping dogs from operative to inoperative position and substantially flush with the outer face of the gripping section.

Themeans for controlling the withdrawal which latter some of the opposite ends of the connections 9 are secured, constitute a portion of the aforesaid operating connection. The link connection or rod 14 forms another portion of this operating connection, said rod 14 being provided with an eye 15 to which the. 'uppereye -13 of the link .11 is,

connected,'as well as 'the opposite ends f the other connections 9 of some of the gripping dogs as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The means for locking the gripping dogs in closed or inoperative position will now be described.

The upper end of the rod or link connection 14 isformed with a screw threaded portion 16 upon which is threaded a nut 17 Spring arms 18 are securedto the upper end of the supporting section 2 in diametric relation, said arms being provided with clamping portions 19 arranged and adapted 'to bear against the threaded portion 16 of the rod, but at the same time permitting of the movement of the rod when occasions require. When it is desired to withdraw the gripping dogs to inoperative position the cab e 21 connected to the eye 20 formed in the end of the, rod 14, is pulled upwardly,- the nut 17 spreading and passing between the spring arms 18 until said nut has been moved to a position above the clamping portions 19, whereupon these clamping portions 19 spring inwardly and bear against the threaded portion 16 and prevent the return of thenut in a reverse direction.' With the gripping dogs in this locked position as own in Fig. 1 the tool can be readily removed from the casing or drill hole.

This construction is particularly advantageous where in some cases it is impossible to remove the casing, and after havin lowered the tool, it also becomes impossi le to remove the tool. By the present construction the possibility of the loss of the tool is reduced to,a minimum.

In ractice, and before the tool is low- .ered,'t e nut 17 is adjusted upon the threaded portion 16 beneath the spring arms 18 according'to the distance throu h which the gripping dogs must be move to securel lock them in inoperative position.

This adjustment having been made, the tool is lowered into the casing and the grippin dogs allowed to engage the pipe.

1%16 supporting section 2 of t e tool is provided with the rods'22, the lower ends of which are threaded into the upper face of the section 2, and the upper ends of whichare offset and brought together to form eyes 23 to which the hoisting cable 24 is attached. i y

In Fig. 3 I have shown a filler section 25 suitably threaded so as to be easily attached between, or referably beneath the gripping section 1. hen it is desired the tool can be quickly weighted by inserting i one or more of these sections, without affecting the operation. of the tool or materially delaying the progress of the work. -A cap closure section 26 is shown threaded upon the filler section 25. When but two sections are used this ca section is attached to the threaded extenslon 27 formed on the gripping section 1 as will be understood, there- "by increasing the penetrating efficiency of the tool should there be mud or other substances found within the drill hole.

1. A gripping tool of the class described comprising a support, a gripping device including jaws carried by said support adapted to extend outwardl therefrom, operatin means connected to said gripping device an adapted to extend from the interior of a well in which the tool is placed .to a position above the ground surface, said operating means being also adapted to move the gripping device into inoperative position to permit retracting the tool, and means for automatically locking said gripping device in operative position when the operating means is actuated to move the gripping device into inoperative position.

2. A gripping tool of the class described comprising a support, gripping means movab ly associated with said support, means including a cable extending from said tool for moving said gripping device into inoperative position, and means carried by the tool for automatically locking the gripping device in said inoperative position, said means for moving the gripping device being operated at a-point remote from-the tool.

3. A gripping tool of the class described comprising a support, a gripping device carried by said support and movable into inoperative position to permit retracting the tool, and means including a spring for automatically'locking the gripping device in the osition when said aforesaid inoperative gripping device is move into its inoperative position.

4. A well tool including a support, gripping elements mounted on said support and adapted to move outwardly from said support into operative ition,operating means for drawing said e ements-toward said support and into inoperative position, and automatically actuating locking means adapted to automatically secure the operating means in the position it occupies when holding the gripping elements are in inoperative position.

5. A gripping tool of the class described comprising a support formed of complementary sections detachably joined together, a gripping device carried by one of said sectlons, said gripping device being arranged and adapted to normally engage the Work, operating means for moving the gripping device into inoperative position and means carried by the other of said sections for antomatically locking said gripping device in inoperative position when said operating means is actuated to move the gripping .device into inoperative position.

6. A gripping tool comprising a tubular support, gripping jaws pivotally mounted on said support and adapted to be moved" 7. A gripping tool including a tubular.

section having threaded ends, pockets arranged in the periphery of said section, jaws pivotally connected to said section and adapted to occupy said pockets when in inoperative position, a second section in threaded connection with the first section ingmeans for drawing said jaws into said osition after pockets, and a member mounted on said operating means and engageable with said locking elements for automatically locking the jaws in inoperative position when said operating means is moved to bring the jaws into inoperative position.

8. A gripping tool of the class described comprising a support, a gripping device detachably associated with said'support for normally' engaging the work, means for moving the said gripping device into inoperative position, means for locking the gripping device when moved into inoperative position, and an adjusting device for determining the relative movement of the gripping device when being locked in the aforesaid inoperative position.

9, A gripping tool of the class described comprising a support formed of -complementary. sections detachably joined together, a

gripping device carried by one of said sectlons for normally engaging the work, means for moving said gripping device into inoperative position, means carried by the other of said complementary sections for locking the gripping device when moved into inoperative position, and means including another section detachably joined to the aforesaid complementary sections.

lin testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH F. FULLO'P. Witnesses:

D. T, ODELL, M. D., Don. NEBUFFON. 

